Archaeological Desk Based Assessment & Heritage Impact Assessment, Avon, Hampshire

To support a Planning Application for a proposed treetop walk at Avon Tyrrell Activity Centre, we undertook an Archaeological Desk Based Assessment (ADBA) and Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA). This determined the potential impact of the proposals on archaeological and built heritage assets in the vicinity of the site. The Centre is situated within a Grade II registered park and adjacent to a Grade I registered country house.

In Brief

Client: UK Youth Sector: Construction/Historic Buildings Services:

Archaeological Desk Based Assessment (ADBA) and Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA)

Location: Avon Tyrrell, Bransgore, Hants

Key Points

  • Site located within Grade II registered late 19th century landscape park associated with Grade I listed Avon Tyrrell House, an important late 19th century Arts and Crafts mansion designed by William Lethaby
  • Site also located within the New Forest National Park
  • Potential impacts on archaeology assessed, as well as impacts on the setting of the Grade II registered park, the Grade I listed mansion and nearby Grade II listed garden buildings

Summary

The potential of the site in archaeological terms was assessed as Low to Moderate, with particular reference to encountering archaeological remains of prehistoric and post-medieval date.  The potential for archaeological remains of Romano-British and medieval date was assessed as Low.

The HIA determined that the overall impact on the setting of the Grade II registered park and gardens and designated heritage assets within the park (including the Grade I listed house) was assessed as Slight.

In visual terms, it was convincingly argued that the impact on the setting of the park, Avon Tyrrell House and other designated heritage assets within the park was limited and localised in scope, due to the fact that the Rail Course is located within a dense woodland plantation running along the eastern side of the gardens and parkland.

Results

New Forest National Park Authority concurred with the results of the DBA and HIA and Planning application approved with conditions allowing development to proceed.